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Topic: Small Hive Beetle Smell (Read 2513 times)

New beekeeper here, first season. Took a split from a booming hive, but lost too many bees back to the old hive. Split was too weak :( , and succumbed to SHB within a week. Caught them still in hive captured & fed them to the chickens. Froze all the frames in sealed bags for 2 days, let thaw til weekend in sealed bags (In case anything should hatch out. None did - frozen dead.) Cleaned everything that was left.

Here's the problem - Everything looks clean, but there is still that distinctive beer-y fermented honey hive beetle yuk smell. How can I get rid of it? Do I need to? I am worried that if we reuse the frames & plastic foundation it might encourage a hive to abscond? Will it taint any honey in it. Advice? Thanks :)

We spray the frames comb and boxes with water from the hose. The bees stay when we do this as opposed to they can't wait to get away if we don't. After rinsing off and they are not needed right now we just let them hang and dry in the sun/air. Otherwise I have put bees in a freshly rinsed out box and they stayed fine (just have extra a/c fuel) ;)

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Everyone said it couldn't be done. But he with a chuckle replied, "I won't be one to say it is so, until I give it a try." So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin. If he had a worry he hid it and he started to sing as he tackled that thing that couldn't be done, and he did it. (unknown)

Everyone said it couldn't be done. But he with a chuckle replied, "I won't be one to say it is so, until I give it a try." So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin. If he had a worry he hid it and he started to sing as he tackled that thing that couldn't be done, and he did it. (unknown)